


Wait For Me

by Arynphallia



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Inspired by Orpheus and Eurydice (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), aliens using they/them
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 05:02:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26759896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arynphallia/pseuds/Arynphallia
Summary: "It's a simple question, Doctor, do you trust her?"
Relationships: Ninth Doctor/Rose Tyler, The Doctor (Doctor Who)/Rose Tyler
Comments: 16
Kudos: 55





	Wait For Me

**Author's Note:**

> This was heavily inspired by Hadestown

"It's a simple question, Doctor, do you trust her?"

The Doctor huffs his frustration. "Of course I do. It's you lot I don't trust."

"We offer no tricks, no clever games. Only a simple test. Lead her back to her ship without checking to see if she's following. Prove your innocence and you both go free." The tallest of the aliens says gesturing along the path. The TARDIS is a small blue spec on the map, nearly a mile from their current location. "If you fail she must stay."

"Seems a bit odd to punish her for my crime." The Doctor grumbles crossing his arms. They haven't even let him see Rose since they'd been arrested and he’s supposed to just take their word that Rose'll be right behind him? He's sceptical of any species that arrests him, especially over something silly like the psychic paper. But this 'trial' doubles his doubts. 

The pale markings on the alien's skin darken in hue and the Doctor wonders if it's some sort of anger response. "It is the way we do things. As we have for millennia. It's a test of faith. Surely even you have something you believe in, Doctor." They snip. "Take our generous offer or leave her here as punishment."

The Doctor swallows and thinks about his faith. For so long, his faith has been science, the unchangeable facts of the universe, but now, since he lost Gallifrey, he's been without faith. Wandering from place to place, with less of a plan, less hope than before. Until Rose. Until he'd met a girl willing to place so much trust in him that he can see it in her eyes everytime she looks at him. It hangs around him like a cloak. And he realizes that he returns her trust. He believes in her. 

Its unshakable, unchanging, a new way to anchor himself to *something*

"Right. Let's get this over with then."

***

The Doctor closes his eyes and waits for the signal, leaning heavily on his newly found faith to keep himself from looking. The rules are clear: If he looks, he loses her and Rose herself can’t talk, couldn’t assure him she was there in any way. He could do this. He was a Time Lord, for Rassilon's sake. More discipline in his pinky finger than these lot had in their entire bodies. 

A gentle hand lands on his shoulder and he opens his eyes to the surprisingly kind expression of one of his jurors; Farre, he remembers. "You can begin. Be warned that the path will not be easy. Your faith will be questioned."

The Doctor nods, steeling his determination and strides forward at a measured pace. He can't run, as much as he'd like to, without the guarantee of Rose's hand in his that she'll be able to keep up. 

There's a pair of eyes boring into his back and for the first time, ever, really, he finds himself praying. Praying that those are Rose's eyes. That this mile will pass quickly and he'll get to hold her again. 

***

"Do you think they can make it?" Farre asks the juror who'd been the deciding vote. 

"I don't know." They respond. 

"Garte, we let them go."

"We let them try." 

***

The miles seem to stretch endlessly on. He thought they'd clear the streets for this spectacle, but people are going about their day, as if this is an everyday occurrence. Until people start taking notice. Maybe it's something about the set of his shoulders, the precision of his gait, but several start walking with him. 

A song starts behind him, hopefully it's because Rose has picked up her own following, the voices high and clear, not Rose but a comfort nonetheless. They keep time with the beat of his feet and while any other time he'd hate it, right now he takes it for what it is: reassurance. 

The lyrics are incomprehensible to him and he realizes the TARDIS is blocking the translation out, letting the melodies of the voices ring out in their native language. It makes a fitting backdrop for the questions that start hailing down upon him. 

What gives you the right?

Who are you to lead her? 

How can you stand apart from us?

They echo and swirl in his brain, bringing to mind so many memories of Gallifrey. The Time Lords had questioned him at every turn during the war and they had been right, look what he had done to them, what right did he have to presume that he could save Rose after getting her into this mess in the first place? His fears are rising. Is Rose even behind him? It could all be some elaborate trap. He promised Jackie he'd always bring her home. But what if he's already failed and he's never going to see her again? His faith wavers momentarily and he starts to turn automatically. He needs to know. 

An older alien catches his gaze from the side of the road and shakes their head. The simple gesture is enough to jar him out of his fear. The Elder takes up walking alongside him, an understanding smile on their face. "What do you believe in?" They ask the Doctor. 

The question cuts through all the noise, silencing the ghosts in his head and his remaining doubts. The TARDIS comes into view on the horizon and the Doctor feels the knot in his chest loosens just enough to be able to breathe again. They're so close and it's the second most beautiful thing he's ever seen. "I've traveled the universe. Seen so many fake gods and want-to-be-gods and would-be-gods that I've given up on the lot. Then I met Rose. And if I believe in anything, I believe in her."

They smile at him and pat him on the shoulder, it almost feels like a blessing. "Then you have all you need."

The Doctor reaches the TARDIS and the song fades out leaving a tense silence behind, he waits, counting the milliseconds. Rose has to be there. The urge to look behind him is so strong. But he's made it this far and he won't risk losing her now, she has to make it to the TARDIS too. He can sense the crowd that came with them behind him, too many sets of eyes boring into his back, waiting for him to falter again. Waiting for him to lose Rose. He grips the sides of the TARDIS, letting the feeling of the wood soothe his anxiety. Rose is coming. He knows she is. He believes in her 

Arms wrapped around his waist and she feels too far away through his coat but her palms radiate heat through his jumper. " _ Doctor _ ." Rose chokes out and every muscle in his body relaxes just that little bit. He struggles to turn in her arms, to look at her. He needs to see her face and know for certain. 

He finally manages it and tilts her chin up so he can properly look at her. "Hello." He says softly, there's a slight note of delirium in his voice, that I-almost-lost-you tone. 

She buried her face in his chest and he can feel her tears soaking through his jumper. "You didn't turn around." She hiccups, trying to get herself under control. 

"Me? Never. I've got unshakeable faith." She looks up at him suddenly, tears still lingering on the edges of her lashes. 

"I heard you. You said that you believe in  _ me _ ." 

"Is that so hard to believe?" He wants to cup her cheek but his arms are more or less trapped around her and he can't be bothered to move them, even for something like that. "You helped me find myself after I wasn't sure I was the Doctor anymore. You saved me, Rose. In more ways than you know."

Rose shakes her head. "But-" she started and stopped, seeming to reconsider arguing with him based on his expression. "Can we go home?"

The doors to the TARDIS open on their own behind him and the Doctor nearly falls on his ass. "I think that's a yes."

They separate and the Doctor holds a hand out for her. Rose takes it without hesitation and they enter the TARDIS together. The people that had walked along with them cheer and celebrate the test of faith proven. 


End file.
